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Tyler Hunnex - I started/founded/began Let's Go Birds in September of 2007 after feeling like my favorite Junior Hockey team needed more discussion and analysis. I'm statistically minded, forever frustrated by the Tbirds and my all-time favorite player was #10. I think I'm funny and my writing would probably disagree. Follow me on Twitter @TylerHunnex.

Jon Whiting - Jon joined the Let's Go Birds team in the summer of 2013. His passion for the Thunderbirds is as big as any fan I've ever met. His two kids are named after former Tbirds and his favorite all-time players were Patrick Marleau and Olaf "Ole" Kjenstad, who he swears is the best pure scoring Tbird ever.

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2.15.2012

Much Needed Two Points

Connor Honey stated in the post-game interview that it
was his first ever shootout attempt, although it
sure didn't look it. He raced in towards the goal, faked a shot and flipped in a
backhand top shelf game-winner over the outstretched pad of Jordon Cooke. This win
gives Seattle a 2 point "cushion" on Victoria and a 3 point
"cushion" over Everett.

I
don't have the patience to write about the officiating last night... it
was bad again. Let's talk about the one call they probably got right and
that was the Penalty Shot awarded in the final minute of the game because
Brad Deagle knocked the net "intentionally" off the pegs. Here
is the rule: If by reason of insufficient time in the regular
playing time or by reason of penalties already imposed, the minor penalty
assessed to a player for deliberately displacing his own goal post cannot
be served in its entirety within the regular playing time of the game or
at any time in overtime, a penalty shot shall be awarded against the
offending team. I think the intent of the rule is to say that if
a player intentionally pushes the net off and its under 2 minutes left in
regulation it has to be a penalty shot,
and the same would apply if it was under 2 minutes in overtime. The rule is poorly written because I think you
could reasonably interpret it to mean that if the penalty might overlap
regulation and overtime it should not be a penalty shot. The rule does need clarification but I actually think
the officials applied it correctly as it is intended. I have a
gigantic problem with the way the rest of the game was called but I don't
have the energy for it.

The
first 5 minutes of the game were awful and Kelowna jumped all over the
Tbirds and got a quick goal to start the game. Everything after that was a
complete 180. Seattle dominated the final 15 minutes of the period and
deserved to take a 3-1 lead into the first intermission. Kelowna then
pushed back pretty hard in the 2nd and 3rd to get themselves back into the
game. I'd maddening how inconsistent this team can be. It probably isn't realistic
to assume that you can get that effort every single minute of every single
game but if they can get that kind of effort more often they are
definitely going to get better and make the playoffs.

If
you didn't see Burke Gallimore's goal I'm sure it will be in the plays of
the week. He reached out of the air to snatch a clearing attempt from
Kelowna and that sprang him in the offensive zone where he beat Cooke over
the glove shoulder off the bar and down into the net.

Mitch
Elliot is looking pretty comfortable as a defender and I think this might
revive his career. His rush up the ice ultimately resulted in the goal by
Justin Hickman on a nice pass across by Jacob Doty.

Calvin
Pickard was excellent as usual and was especially good in the 3rd period
when Kelowna was coming on strong. He was also particularly disturbed by
the officials, and I can't really say I
blame him for his feelings.

Big
Big Big points for the Tbirds and they will get ready to face Tri-City at home
in a televised game on Friday night.

25 comments
:

According to Thom on the broadcast last night he talked to the off-ice official. The off-ice official was surprised that a penalty was called and the puck not brought out of the zone because it was clear that a Kelowna player pushed a T-Bird into the Kelowna player that knocked the net off.

I didn't have a problem with the penalty shot call and I wasn't upset with Deagle for pushing the net off the moorings. I was, however, furious with Jacobs! His actions were inexcusable. When I saw him get hit along the Rocket's bench I had a feeling he was going to do something stupid.....sure enough he did! He got up, followed the guy that hit him and right before the guy got to the bench, Jacobs swiped his feet. I don't know if I have ever seen a dumber penalty!

Sanvido? Leaving the team? But, but.....he was a first round pick. How can this be? I guess not even Swift Current would cough up a 12th round pick for him like they did for our other 1st rounder Fleming.

This is a deeper issue than Conner leaving. He is the third player this year to just leave (Verdino & Aschim). My question is why would he leave now? He can't go play anywhere else for the balance of this year anyway so why not stick it out and be part of the team? Question to ask is, did he leave on his own or was he asked to leave? Either way it doesn't look good on the organization to lose a 3 year player for no apparent reason.

My guess is Sanvido was asked to leave and it would most likely have to do with his attitude and team spirit. He has always struck my as a guy who plays just for himself.IF this is the case, I say Bravo to the coaches/management.

Verdino has had medical issues and I heard he left for medical reasons. As for Aschim, the kid was far from home with a career likely going no where I would guess he decided for himself that he wanted to play closer to home. So in my mind, these are 3 separate issues.

Verdino had to retire due to injury. Aschims days were numbered once the birds got all of the fowards back healthy. Sanvido is only in his second year with the T-birds and has been outplayed by younger players (Troock & Honey).

If Sanvido couldn't crack the top 12 forwards as an 18 yr old, on a team as bad as the T-birds are, he's not going to play on a "better" team in the WHL next season as a 19 yr old. He just isn't good enough for this level, probably because he's too small and doesn't play a physical game. He was a #1 pick (don't hold that against him though, that wasn't his doing it was bad scouting by the 'Birds) who didn't play here as a 16 yr old, barely played as a 17 yr old and wasn't seeing a lot of ice as an 18 yr old. Just put him on the scrap heap with other recent missed high draft picks like Cody Hansen, Jared Prokopetz,Steve Chaffin, Erik Fleming, Tanner Muth, Zac Ashdown, Jetlan Houcher, Ryan Armbruster, Steve Orsov, James Neil and Brandon Carlson. All these players were chosen in either the 1st, 2nd or 3rd rd between 2005 and 2009, except for Neil who was selected in Rd 3 of 2010 but didn't attend camp last fall. 10 players who had little impact or saw little to no ice time with this team. By the way, heard of these guys? Jeff Beattie, Justin LaChance, Jason Zucker and Robbie Newton? They were 4th rd picks during that span. Also, don't forget a couple of guys who did produce from those drafts, Acolatse, Boyer, DeSerres were traded away (mostly because they didn't want to be here anymore and seemed to do better with their new teams). The only veteran players left from the top 4 rounds of those drafts are Pickard, Lund and Jacobs. It's great to find late round guys like Lockhart and Alos, but you don't usually build a team around a 7th rd pick. Yeah, I'd say this team has a scouting/drafting problem. You can't constantly be going out looking for 20 yr olds to fill the roster because your own picks didn't pan out. Please T-birds, get it together before this next draft because with 2 #1 picks it's huge!

Its interesting that some fans see the release of Sanvido as a fail on the team part. I kind of see it the other way. As a player he had PLENTY of time to prove himself and he does have some tools to make him a useful part of any team in this league. He has great speed, and good hands. This season he spent games on the top lines AND on the PP and did not produce to an acceptable level. The chance was there for him and he did not take advantage of it and it did not work out. Sometimes players need to be accountable. Is is not just the organisation's fault. To me it seems that in certain fans's mind, the organisation can do no right and it is showing in some very biased opinions. For exemple the anon that said that Boyer, Deserres and Acolatse left because they did not want to play here and performed better is a perfect exmaple. theses players probably did not want to play here anymore, (although inthe case of Deserres you could argue that he would of played better had he not been injured the season before he was traded) BUT they certainly did not improve in leaving Seattle (Boyer went from 56pts to 32pts in SAS and Acolatse was a marjinal player there too, only to break-out in PG in his 20y/o season). Deserres game was good in Brandon but not to par to his draft year in Seattle, but as a Seadog he was great. Maybe its just a case of getting older and seing their final year as a big deal instead of the fault of the Seattle organisation ....

Sure Sanvido has some responsibility for his own results. That doesn't mean the GM doesn't have responsiblity for his results. Well I guess he doesn't cause he is the owner, ostrich's stick their heads in the sand and the buck stops no where.

If it was just one draft pick that didn't work out maybe you could hold the player accountable but the post listed over a dozen high draft picks...many of whom never played 1 shift for the T-birds...that's not a player effort issue, that is a scouting/talent evaluation issue. Maybe they were good players who just didn't want to play in the WHL, many came to at least one camp and never returned. Most were never heard from again, at any level of hockey. Portland is signing players left and right, meanwhile the T-birds can't get their 1st rd pick to sign from last spring. You think maybe that has something to do with the culture each organization creates? Players want to play for Portland. Some players seem reluctant to want to play for Seattle. Something is not right with this organization...to be in the league's largest market and struggle as they do to bring in top talent. Some say the problem is Farwell is both GM and owner and should just be the GM. I say the opposite. This team was much better when Farwell was just the GM and not the owner.

Great post above me. As far as the Tri game last night I watched it on TV. Seeing it on TV rather than in person opened my eyes even more of the skill and talent diffrence between a team like Tri and Seattle. Our passing......Our passing is just horrible, I could not believe it!!! Kevine and Ian on the telecast sttated it not as horrible but as just poor. Other things that stood out. Tri is faster, they skate better, play with more emotion, make better decisions in the zone. Frustrating game to watch.

OMG, why would you leave Cotton in 11-2 assault except to say that the team surrenders for this season. Cotton definitely proved character for this performance and will improve next season. However, are we still in rebuilding mode? Not relieving Cotton has proved this team is not about winning but about rebuilding. What a sad state...we have been rebuilding for over three years now. This team has no character and no defense. What more can we say that we need a new GM and possibly a new coach....what was his thinking.

Lets not look at the negatives of the season like we have for the last 3 years. Lets focus on the positives.

* Another high draft pick that we can watch not pan out or not even sign.

* No pesky overpriced playoff tickets like all those other poor teams.

* The more we drive fans away the easier parking will be at the Sho.

* No more getting nervous or excited at close games when we don't have any.

* Players are more accessible after the game since they didn't work up a sweat.

* At least Russ isn't behind the bench

* After a long day at work most of us can get a nap in at the game.

See it's not all bad if we just look at the product being sold to us every year. All joking aside I know the older players don't care anymore. But c'mon have some pride if your not going to play hard just leave already.